Marcos And My Grand Slam

As Katie and I sat in the front row of Court 7 of Day 2 of this US Open, I was telling her how I thought that I had seen Marcos Baghdatis play at every Slam around the world, upon completing my very own visit to all 4 tournaments.

Last week I attended Day 1 and Day 2 of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, out in Queens in New York, completing the lap of Grand Slams around the world. This has been a dream of mine for some time, on a travel and sports fan level, and I was so excited to be walking around the complex and sitting watching matches at the courts I have watched on tv for years and years.


It occurred to me that I have very much being watching the same set of players around the world for the last few years. Baghdatis being one of them. Marcos is the exact type of player that I love watching play - he plays with such grit and determination, the never-say-die, heart on his sleeve manner, and the fight in him that so often gets him out of being 2 sets down and into a tie-break in the third, and then win in a thrilling 5 set match!

Upon reviewing my photos, and posts from the years however, I see that I didn't see him play on the two days I went to Wimbledon after all! Oops! He reached the semi-final in 2006 when I was there, but I didn't see a match of his out on the smaller courts that year, nor the year before.

I remember him vividly from the French, as I snapped this photo of his flashing his belly! Ha!

As I sat in the top section of the Authur Ashe Stadium watching Andy Roddick, who's career ended with retirement overnight, and had memories of the electricity of this stadium as it beamed out to me from the tv in the wee hours of many mornings during the Men's Singles Final, I think I developed a new wanderlust goal. I think I really want to try and complete the circuit of Men's Finals in a year - like Grand Slam Girl has done this year, but save up a gazillion dollars, and do all 4 finals. Would be amazing - a new tennis fan dream!